Rogue Shadows
2014-01-06, 09:22 PM
What the following is, is me testing the waters for Rebuild II: Rebuild Harder. Broadly speaking, the goal of Rebuild II: Electric Boogaloo is to take the stuff I've learned from my eight-month playtest of my Rebuild of 3.5, during which time I have run, among other things, Red Hand of Doom and Tomb of Horrors. The playtest was just me and five other schmucks with no skill at optimization whatsoever, but it still taught me a few things.
Rebuild II: Son of Rebuild is entering its final stages now; I've completed Races, Backgrounds, Classes, Spells, Skills, Feats, Equipment. All that's left is Combat, and the need to pick whether I prefer Pathfinder or 3.5's basic combat rules. I dunno, I need to get some opinions on Pathfinder's CMB/CMD system.
Anyway. As a general rule, Rebuild II: The Wrath of Khan is meant to completely replace D&D/Pathfinder Core, most specifically the Player's Handbook parts, wherever there is overlap. I'm not touching expanded materials like the Archivist or the Summoner; that's just too much work for one schmuck. The overall goal is to drag the Tier-1 and Tier-2 classes down to Tiers 3 or 4, and to pull the Tier-5 and Tier-6 classes up to Tier 3 or 4.
Without seeing the rest of Rebuild II: I'll Stop the Joke Now, of course, it would be unreasonable of me to expect you to know how the following class balances against the rest of the classes from Rebuild II. So, I'm not looking for that. Rather, I'm looking for just a general opinion on how this druid looks stacked up against 3.5 as it currently exists.
Sorry, I rambled a bit up there.
Anyway, the short version of this class is: much smaller spell list, no animal companion, more abilities, wild shape a ton more often. Let's see how badly I managed to screw up.
Note that while this is basically intended for 3.5, it uses Pathfinder's skill system. And description of the druid.
http://i41.tinypic.com/27zkas.png
"The Earth has music for those who listen."
Druid
Within the purity of the elements and the order of the wilds lingers a power beyond the marvels of civilization. Furtive yet undeniable, these primal magics are guarded over by servants of philosophical balance known as druids. Allies to beasts and manipulators of nature, these often misunderstood protectors of the wild strive to shield their lands from all who would threaten them and prove the might of the wilds to those who lock themselves behind city walls. Rewarded for their devotion with incredible powers, druids gain unparalleled shape-shifting abilities, the companionship of mighty beasts, and the power to call upon nature's wrath. The mightiest temper powers akin to storms, earthquakes, and volcanoes with primeval wisdom long abandoned and forgotten by civilization.
Table: The Druid
{table=header]Level|Base Attack|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Natural Armor|1|2|3|4
1st|+0|+1|+1|+2|Nature sense +2, wild empathy|+0|--|--|--|--
2nd|+1|+2|+2|+3|Nature's strength, wild shape|+0|––|--|--|--
3rd|+2|+2|+2|+3|Speak with animals, trackless step|+1|––|--|--|--
4th|+3|+2|+2|+4|Resist nature's lure|+1|0|--|--|--
5th|+3|+3|+3|+4|Nature's strength, shifter's speach|+1|1|--|--|--
6th|+4|+3|+3|+5|Endure elements, speak with plants|+2|2|--|--|--
7th|+5|+4|+4|+5|Nature sense +3, wild shape (large)|+2|2|--|--|--
8th|+6/+1|+4|+4|+6|Bonus feat, nature's strength, venom immunity|+2|3|0|--|--
9th|+6/+1|+4|+4|+6|Speak with stones|+3|3|1|--|--
10th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+7|Natural spell|+3|3|2|--|--
11th|+8/+3|+5|+5|+7|Nature's strength, wild shape (tiny)|+3|4|2|--|--
12th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+8|Elemental shape, wild shape (plant)|+4|4|3|0|--
13th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+8|A thousand faces, nature sense +4|+4|4|3|1|--
14th|+10/+5|+6|+6|+9|Nature's strength|+4|4|3|2|--
15th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+7|+9|Timeless body, wild shape (huge)|+5|5|4|2|--
16th|+12/+7/+2|+7|+7|+10|Bonus feat|+5|5|4|3|0
17th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+8|+10|Nature's strength|+5|5|4|3|1
18th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+8|+11|Speak with the world|+6|5|4|3|2
19th|+14/+9/+4|+8|+8|+11|Nature sense +5, repel nature's lure|+6|5|5|4|2
20th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+9|+12|Natural majesty, elemental shape (huge), nature's strength|+6|6|5|4|3[/table]
Hit Die: d8
Skill Points At Each Level: 4 + Int modifier, x4 at 1st level
Class Skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), Perception, Ride, Stealth, Survival, Swim
Alignment Restriction: Must be within one step of True Neutral (NG, LN, N, CN, NE)
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the druid.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with wild shape (see below).
Druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. (A druid may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description) Druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.
A druid who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield is unable to use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.
Bonus Languages: A druid’s bonus language options include Sylvan, the language of woodland creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.
A druid also automatically knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level druid. Druidic is a free language for a druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids.
Druidic has its own alphabet.
Nature Sense (Ex): A druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks. This bonus increases by +1 at 7th level and every six levels thereafter.
Wild Empathy (Ex): A druid can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The druid rolls 1d20 and adds her druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.
The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the druid and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A druid can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a –4 penalty on the check.
Nature’s Strength: At 2nd level and every three levels thereafter, the druid gains special ability, reflecting her connection to the natural world. This must be chosen from the following list. Chosen strengths work even while the druid is in her wild shape form. A given strength may be chosen only once, unless otherwise specified.
Camouflage (Ex): A druid with this ability can use the Stealth skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment. The druid must be of at least 11th level to choose this strength.
Erosion Touch (Su): As a melee touch attack, the druid can deal 3d6 points of damage +1 point per level to objects or constructs. If used against an object in another creature’s possession, treat this attack as a sunder combat maneuver. A druid must be of at least 8th level to select this strength, but thereafter it may be selected multiple times, adding an additional 3d6 damage each time.
Fleet of Foot: The druid’s base land speed improves by +10 feet. The druid may select this strength any number of times, gaining an additional +10 feet to her base speed each time she does so.
Ferocious Strike (Su): Whenever the druid makes a melee attack, she can designate that attack as a ferocious strike. If the attack hits, it deals additional damage equal to ½ her druid level. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Wisdom modifier.
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any sort of natural terrain, a druid with this ability can use the Stealth skill even while being directly observed. A druid must have the camouflage ability in order to take this strength.
Hunter’s Intuition (Ex): Druids know that instinct will serve them better than anything else during a fight. The druid may add her Wisdom bonus (if any) to Initiative checks.
Natural Body (Ex): A druid who takes this strength can treat herself as having the Animal type for the purposes of spells such as magic fang.
Natural Cunning (Ex): The druid gains trap sense as a rogue of equal level. Furthermore, while in natural surroundings (forests, caves, etc., but not while in a city, dungeon, or the like) she immediately receives a Perception check to notice traps within 10 feet of her.
Natural Swimmer (Ex): The druid gains a swim speed equal to her base land speed. The druid must be at least 5th level before choosing this strength.
Lightfoot (Ex): A druid with this strength can’t be detected by tremorsense. A druid must be of at least 8th level to take this strength.
Vermin Empathy (Su): The druid can improve the attitude of vermin as she can with animals. Vermin have a starting attitude of unfriendly.
Vicious Creature (Ex): A druid becomes more like the creatures she lives amongst and less like those of her own race. The damage dice of her natural weapons (current and future) increases by one step, as though she’d taken the Improved Natural Attack feat. In addition, she gains a +4 bonus on Wild Empathy checks, but takes a -4 penalty on all Charisma-based checks with humanoids of any type who aren’t of the barbarian, druid, or ranger class. A druid must be of at least 11th level to take this strength, but thereafter the strength may be taken multiple times. The bonuses and penalties stack for each time it is taken.
Vicious Strike (Ex): A druid knows how to get the biggest advantage out of his attacks. The critical multiplier on her natural attacks increases by 1 (usually from x2 to x3).
Wild Threat (Ex): A druid knows where to look to strike. The critical range of all her natural weapons doubles. This effect stacks with effects such as Improved Critical and keen.
Woodland Sprint (Ex): The druid may move at her normal speed through thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated. She does not take damage or suffer any other impairment, since she becomes immune to such magical effects. A druid must be of at least 8th level before taking this strength, and the druid must further already possess the woodland stride strength.
Woodland Stride (Ex): The druid may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.
Wild Shape (Sp): At 2nd level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any Small or Medium animal and back again. Her options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
At 2nd level, the druid automatically knows how to transform into three different animals. Thereafter, the druid must be intimately familiar with the animal the druid wishes to change in to. The druid must succeed on a Knowledge (nature) check with a DC of 20 + the creature’s challenge rating in order to transform into an animal. The druid may apply her Wisdom modifier as a bonus to this check. She need only make this check once per animal.
A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)
A druid may wild shape a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Wisdom modifier. A druid gains the ability to take the shape of a Large animal at 7th level, a Tiny animal at 11th level, and a Huge animal at 15th level.
The new form’s Hit Dice can’t exceed the character’s druid level.
At 12th level, a druid becomes able to use wild shape to change into a plant creature with the same size restrictions as for animal forms. (A druid can’t use this ability to take the form of a plant that isn’t a creature).
Polymorph
Polymorph
Transmutation (Polymorph)
Level: Sor 4, Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 full-round action
Range: Touch
Target: Willing living creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell functions like alter self, except that you change the willing subject into another form of living creature. The new form may be of the same type as the subject or any of the following types: aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, or vermin. The assumed form can’t have more Hit Dice than your caster level (or the subject’s HD, whichever is lower), to a maximum of 10 HD at 10th level. You can’t cause a subject to assume a form smaller than Fine, nor can you cause a subject to assume an incorporeal or gaseous form.
A polymorphed creature is identical in every way to a normal creature of its type. Simply find the creature’s entry in the Monster Manual and use the presented statistics instead of the creature’s normal statistics, except for the following:
Intelligence: The creature retains its own Intelligence score.
Skills: The creature retains its own modifiers for any Intelligence-based skills, such as Knowledge.
Languages: The polymorphed creature retains the ability to understand (but not necessarily speak, depending upon the form assumed) its normal languages, and being polymorphed does not grant the creature any new languages.
Alignment: The creature’s alignment is unchanged.
Abilities: Any limited-use abilities of the form are unavailable, "limited-use" being defined as any abilities not able to be used every round all day without limitation, such as dragons' 1d4-round-recharge breath weapon, binders' every-5-rounds abilities, monster 3/day SLAs, and so forth.
The polymorphed creature in every way loses all of its other normal traits in favor of the assumed form’s new traits. Note that this includes the ability to cast spells, rage, create bardic music, make use of tough defense or smite evil, and so on.
Incorporeal or gaseous creatures are immune to being polymorphed, and a creature with the shapechanger subtype can revert to its natural form as a standard action. Otherwise, the creature remains in the assumed form until the spell ends or is dispelled or until the creature dies, at which point it reverts to its normal form.
Material Component: An empty cocoon.
Natural Armor (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, a druid’s skin becomes tougher, better able to withstand punishment. The druid gains the listed bonus as a natural armor bonus to her armor class. She retains this bonus even against touch attacks or if caught flat-footed or immobilized.
Speak with Animals (Ex): A druid of 3rd level or higher can speak with animals, as though she were under the effect of a permanent speak with animals spell. However, this effect is neither supernatural nor spell-like; she is simply so in-tune with the natural world that she can understand animals as though they were her kind, and they can understand her.
Trackless Step (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a druid leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Resist Nature’s Lure (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a druid gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey.
Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a druid gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the druid spell list. A druid must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
Note: druids cast spells from the former Ranger spell list now (and in Rebuild II, rangers don't cast spells at all)
To prepare or cast a spell, a druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a druid’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the druid’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Druid. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. When Table: The Druid indicates that the druid gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on his Wisdom score for that spell level.
A druid prepares and casts spells the way a wizard does. A druid may prepare and cast any spell on the druid spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.
Through 3rd level, a druid has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is equal to her druid level -3.
Shifter’s Speech (Su): Beginning at 5th level, a druid may speak any language she knows while in her wild shape form.
Endure Elements (Ex): The druid spends her time in environments far more vicious than any found in the city. Her body has adjusted itself to the harsh extremes of the environment. A druid of 6th level or higher constantly enjoys the benefits of an endure elements spell, though this is neither supernatural nor spell-like in nature.
Speak With Plants (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, the druid may speak with inanimate plants, such as trees, much as how she can speak with animals. This ability also extends to fungus, such as mushrooms. Further, this ability extends to any creature of the Plant type, such as a treant or shambling mound. As objects, however, most plants have little to say.
Bonus Feat: At 8th and 16th levels, the druid gains a bonus feat. This may be any feat for which the druid otherwise meets the prerequisites.
Venom Immunity (Ex): At 8th level, a druid gains immunity to all poisons.
Speak with Stones (Ex): Beginning at 9th level, the druid may speak with rocks, stones, and the like, much as how she can speak with animals and plants. The stone may be natural or worked stone. Further, this ability allows her to communicate with any creature that possesses the (earth) subtype. Stones are, however, typically less talkative than even plants.
Natural Spell (Ex): Beginning at 10th level, the druid may cast druid spells when in a wild shape form, but not spells gained from some other source.
Note: There is no such feat as Natural Spell in Rebuild II; the only way to acquire it is by being a 10th level druid.
A Thousand Faces (Su): At 13th level, a druid gains the ability to change her appearance at will, as if using the spell alter self, but only while in her normal form.
Elemental Shape (Sp): At 13th level, a druid is able to transform into a Small, Medium, or Large elemental (air, earth, fire, or water). These elemental forms are distinct from her wild shape ability, but otherwise follow the same rules as the wild shape ability (including transformation time and speech limitations).
A druid may use her elemental shape ability a number of times per day equal to her Constitution modifier. At 20th level, a druid may use elemental shape ability to change into a Huge elemental.
Thanks to Shifter’s Speech and Natural Spell, a druid may speak and cast druid spells while in an elemental shape, just as she can while in wild shape.
Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 15th level, a druid no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place.
Bonuses still accrue, and the druid still dies of old age when her time is up.
Speak with the World (Su): Beginning at 18th level, the druid learns how to speak to the very soul of the world itself, which allows her to gain insight on all the creatures that stride upon it. A number of times week equal to her Wisdom modifier, the druid may cast greater scrying as though she were a Cleric of equal level. The druid must be able to gaze into a natural reflective surface to make use of this ability, however, such as a pool of water, a crystal growth, or the like.
Repel Nature's Lure (Ex): At 19th level, a druid gains spell resistance against the spell-like abilities of fey (such as dryads, pixies, and sprites) equal to her current druid level + 10. To affect the druid with a spell-like ability, a fey spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the druid's spell resistance.
Natural Majesty (Ex): At 20th level, the druid inspires awe in animals. Animals must succeed on a Will save with a DC of 10 + ½ the druid’s level + the druid’s Charisma modifier. If the creature fails, its action is wasted. This ability may also affect magical beasts with an Intelligence of 1 or 2, although they get a +4 bonus on their saving throw. Once a creature succeeds, it is immune to the effect of that druid for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting ability.
In addition, if the druid has the Animal Companion feat, she acquires a loyal following of animals. She acquires a second animal companion, plus a group of auxiliary companions. The group of auxiliary companions consists of 3 + her Charisma modifier animals as though she were a druid of one-quarter her level (5th at 20th level). Although vulnerable in combat against high level foes, such companions can perform a number of helpful functions, such as spying, providing transportation, carrying things, and so forth. If an animal companion dies or is dismissed, she can promote an existing companion to a higher level at the same time she replaces a missing companion. For instance, if her highest level companion dies, she can promote the second companion to a higher level, then promote one of her weaker companions to the second companion slot and acquire a new auxiliary companion.
Note: Yes, Animal Companion is now a feat. It has a Prerequisite of Ranger or Druid 5 and Handle Animal 8 ranks; remembering that we're using Pathfinder skills, that means you need to be at least level 8 to take an Animal Companion.
Ex-Druids
A druid who ceases to revere nature, changes to a prohibited alignment, or teaches the Druidic language to a nondruid loses all druid abilities (not including weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She cannot thereafter gain levels as a druid until she atones.
Rebuild II: Son of Rebuild is entering its final stages now; I've completed Races, Backgrounds, Classes, Spells, Skills, Feats, Equipment. All that's left is Combat, and the need to pick whether I prefer Pathfinder or 3.5's basic combat rules. I dunno, I need to get some opinions on Pathfinder's CMB/CMD system.
Anyway. As a general rule, Rebuild II: The Wrath of Khan is meant to completely replace D&D/Pathfinder Core, most specifically the Player's Handbook parts, wherever there is overlap. I'm not touching expanded materials like the Archivist or the Summoner; that's just too much work for one schmuck. The overall goal is to drag the Tier-1 and Tier-2 classes down to Tiers 3 or 4, and to pull the Tier-5 and Tier-6 classes up to Tier 3 or 4.
Without seeing the rest of Rebuild II: I'll Stop the Joke Now, of course, it would be unreasonable of me to expect you to know how the following class balances against the rest of the classes from Rebuild II. So, I'm not looking for that. Rather, I'm looking for just a general opinion on how this druid looks stacked up against 3.5 as it currently exists.
Sorry, I rambled a bit up there.
Anyway, the short version of this class is: much smaller spell list, no animal companion, more abilities, wild shape a ton more often. Let's see how badly I managed to screw up.
Note that while this is basically intended for 3.5, it uses Pathfinder's skill system. And description of the druid.
http://i41.tinypic.com/27zkas.png
"The Earth has music for those who listen."
Druid
Within the purity of the elements and the order of the wilds lingers a power beyond the marvels of civilization. Furtive yet undeniable, these primal magics are guarded over by servants of philosophical balance known as druids. Allies to beasts and manipulators of nature, these often misunderstood protectors of the wild strive to shield their lands from all who would threaten them and prove the might of the wilds to those who lock themselves behind city walls. Rewarded for their devotion with incredible powers, druids gain unparalleled shape-shifting abilities, the companionship of mighty beasts, and the power to call upon nature's wrath. The mightiest temper powers akin to storms, earthquakes, and volcanoes with primeval wisdom long abandoned and forgotten by civilization.
Table: The Druid
{table=header]Level|Base Attack|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Natural Armor|1|2|3|4
1st|+0|+1|+1|+2|Nature sense +2, wild empathy|+0|--|--|--|--
2nd|+1|+2|+2|+3|Nature's strength, wild shape|+0|––|--|--|--
3rd|+2|+2|+2|+3|Speak with animals, trackless step|+1|––|--|--|--
4th|+3|+2|+2|+4|Resist nature's lure|+1|0|--|--|--
5th|+3|+3|+3|+4|Nature's strength, shifter's speach|+1|1|--|--|--
6th|+4|+3|+3|+5|Endure elements, speak with plants|+2|2|--|--|--
7th|+5|+4|+4|+5|Nature sense +3, wild shape (large)|+2|2|--|--|--
8th|+6/+1|+4|+4|+6|Bonus feat, nature's strength, venom immunity|+2|3|0|--|--
9th|+6/+1|+4|+4|+6|Speak with stones|+3|3|1|--|--
10th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+7|Natural spell|+3|3|2|--|--
11th|+8/+3|+5|+5|+7|Nature's strength, wild shape (tiny)|+3|4|2|--|--
12th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+8|Elemental shape, wild shape (plant)|+4|4|3|0|--
13th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+8|A thousand faces, nature sense +4|+4|4|3|1|--
14th|+10/+5|+6|+6|+9|Nature's strength|+4|4|3|2|--
15th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+7|+9|Timeless body, wild shape (huge)|+5|5|4|2|--
16th|+12/+7/+2|+7|+7|+10|Bonus feat|+5|5|4|3|0
17th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+8|+10|Nature's strength|+5|5|4|3|1
18th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+8|+11|Speak with the world|+6|5|4|3|2
19th|+14/+9/+4|+8|+8|+11|Nature sense +5, repel nature's lure|+6|5|5|4|2
20th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+9|+12|Natural majesty, elemental shape (huge), nature's strength|+6|6|5|4|3[/table]
Hit Die: d8
Skill Points At Each Level: 4 + Int modifier, x4 at 1st level
Class Skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), Perception, Ride, Stealth, Survival, Swim
Alignment Restriction: Must be within one step of True Neutral (NG, LN, N, CN, NE)
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the druid.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with wild shape (see below).
Druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. (A druid may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description) Druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.
A druid who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield is unable to use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.
Bonus Languages: A druid’s bonus language options include Sylvan, the language of woodland creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.
A druid also automatically knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level druid. Druidic is a free language for a druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids.
Druidic has its own alphabet.
Nature Sense (Ex): A druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks. This bonus increases by +1 at 7th level and every six levels thereafter.
Wild Empathy (Ex): A druid can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The druid rolls 1d20 and adds her druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.
The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the druid and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A druid can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a –4 penalty on the check.
Nature’s Strength: At 2nd level and every three levels thereafter, the druid gains special ability, reflecting her connection to the natural world. This must be chosen from the following list. Chosen strengths work even while the druid is in her wild shape form. A given strength may be chosen only once, unless otherwise specified.
Camouflage (Ex): A druid with this ability can use the Stealth skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment. The druid must be of at least 11th level to choose this strength.
Erosion Touch (Su): As a melee touch attack, the druid can deal 3d6 points of damage +1 point per level to objects or constructs. If used against an object in another creature’s possession, treat this attack as a sunder combat maneuver. A druid must be of at least 8th level to select this strength, but thereafter it may be selected multiple times, adding an additional 3d6 damage each time.
Fleet of Foot: The druid’s base land speed improves by +10 feet. The druid may select this strength any number of times, gaining an additional +10 feet to her base speed each time she does so.
Ferocious Strike (Su): Whenever the druid makes a melee attack, she can designate that attack as a ferocious strike. If the attack hits, it deals additional damage equal to ½ her druid level. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Wisdom modifier.
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any sort of natural terrain, a druid with this ability can use the Stealth skill even while being directly observed. A druid must have the camouflage ability in order to take this strength.
Hunter’s Intuition (Ex): Druids know that instinct will serve them better than anything else during a fight. The druid may add her Wisdom bonus (if any) to Initiative checks.
Natural Body (Ex): A druid who takes this strength can treat herself as having the Animal type for the purposes of spells such as magic fang.
Natural Cunning (Ex): The druid gains trap sense as a rogue of equal level. Furthermore, while in natural surroundings (forests, caves, etc., but not while in a city, dungeon, or the like) she immediately receives a Perception check to notice traps within 10 feet of her.
Natural Swimmer (Ex): The druid gains a swim speed equal to her base land speed. The druid must be at least 5th level before choosing this strength.
Lightfoot (Ex): A druid with this strength can’t be detected by tremorsense. A druid must be of at least 8th level to take this strength.
Vermin Empathy (Su): The druid can improve the attitude of vermin as she can with animals. Vermin have a starting attitude of unfriendly.
Vicious Creature (Ex): A druid becomes more like the creatures she lives amongst and less like those of her own race. The damage dice of her natural weapons (current and future) increases by one step, as though she’d taken the Improved Natural Attack feat. In addition, she gains a +4 bonus on Wild Empathy checks, but takes a -4 penalty on all Charisma-based checks with humanoids of any type who aren’t of the barbarian, druid, or ranger class. A druid must be of at least 11th level to take this strength, but thereafter the strength may be taken multiple times. The bonuses and penalties stack for each time it is taken.
Vicious Strike (Ex): A druid knows how to get the biggest advantage out of his attacks. The critical multiplier on her natural attacks increases by 1 (usually from x2 to x3).
Wild Threat (Ex): A druid knows where to look to strike. The critical range of all her natural weapons doubles. This effect stacks with effects such as Improved Critical and keen.
Woodland Sprint (Ex): The druid may move at her normal speed through thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated. She does not take damage or suffer any other impairment, since she becomes immune to such magical effects. A druid must be of at least 8th level before taking this strength, and the druid must further already possess the woodland stride strength.
Woodland Stride (Ex): The druid may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.
Wild Shape (Sp): At 2nd level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any Small or Medium animal and back again. Her options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
At 2nd level, the druid automatically knows how to transform into three different animals. Thereafter, the druid must be intimately familiar with the animal the druid wishes to change in to. The druid must succeed on a Knowledge (nature) check with a DC of 20 + the creature’s challenge rating in order to transform into an animal. The druid may apply her Wisdom modifier as a bonus to this check. She need only make this check once per animal.
A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)
A druid may wild shape a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Wisdom modifier. A druid gains the ability to take the shape of a Large animal at 7th level, a Tiny animal at 11th level, and a Huge animal at 15th level.
The new form’s Hit Dice can’t exceed the character’s druid level.
At 12th level, a druid becomes able to use wild shape to change into a plant creature with the same size restrictions as for animal forms. (A druid can’t use this ability to take the form of a plant that isn’t a creature).
Polymorph
Polymorph
Transmutation (Polymorph)
Level: Sor 4, Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 full-round action
Range: Touch
Target: Willing living creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell functions like alter self, except that you change the willing subject into another form of living creature. The new form may be of the same type as the subject or any of the following types: aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, or vermin. The assumed form can’t have more Hit Dice than your caster level (or the subject’s HD, whichever is lower), to a maximum of 10 HD at 10th level. You can’t cause a subject to assume a form smaller than Fine, nor can you cause a subject to assume an incorporeal or gaseous form.
A polymorphed creature is identical in every way to a normal creature of its type. Simply find the creature’s entry in the Monster Manual and use the presented statistics instead of the creature’s normal statistics, except for the following:
Intelligence: The creature retains its own Intelligence score.
Skills: The creature retains its own modifiers for any Intelligence-based skills, such as Knowledge.
Languages: The polymorphed creature retains the ability to understand (but not necessarily speak, depending upon the form assumed) its normal languages, and being polymorphed does not grant the creature any new languages.
Alignment: The creature’s alignment is unchanged.
Abilities: Any limited-use abilities of the form are unavailable, "limited-use" being defined as any abilities not able to be used every round all day without limitation, such as dragons' 1d4-round-recharge breath weapon, binders' every-5-rounds abilities, monster 3/day SLAs, and so forth.
The polymorphed creature in every way loses all of its other normal traits in favor of the assumed form’s new traits. Note that this includes the ability to cast spells, rage, create bardic music, make use of tough defense or smite evil, and so on.
Incorporeal or gaseous creatures are immune to being polymorphed, and a creature with the shapechanger subtype can revert to its natural form as a standard action. Otherwise, the creature remains in the assumed form until the spell ends or is dispelled or until the creature dies, at which point it reverts to its normal form.
Material Component: An empty cocoon.
Natural Armor (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, a druid’s skin becomes tougher, better able to withstand punishment. The druid gains the listed bonus as a natural armor bonus to her armor class. She retains this bonus even against touch attacks or if caught flat-footed or immobilized.
Speak with Animals (Ex): A druid of 3rd level or higher can speak with animals, as though she were under the effect of a permanent speak with animals spell. However, this effect is neither supernatural nor spell-like; she is simply so in-tune with the natural world that she can understand animals as though they were her kind, and they can understand her.
Trackless Step (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a druid leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Resist Nature’s Lure (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a druid gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey.
Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a druid gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the druid spell list. A druid must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
Note: druids cast spells from the former Ranger spell list now (and in Rebuild II, rangers don't cast spells at all)
To prepare or cast a spell, a druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a druid’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the druid’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Druid. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. When Table: The Druid indicates that the druid gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on his Wisdom score for that spell level.
A druid prepares and casts spells the way a wizard does. A druid may prepare and cast any spell on the druid spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.
Through 3rd level, a druid has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is equal to her druid level -3.
Shifter’s Speech (Su): Beginning at 5th level, a druid may speak any language she knows while in her wild shape form.
Endure Elements (Ex): The druid spends her time in environments far more vicious than any found in the city. Her body has adjusted itself to the harsh extremes of the environment. A druid of 6th level or higher constantly enjoys the benefits of an endure elements spell, though this is neither supernatural nor spell-like in nature.
Speak With Plants (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, the druid may speak with inanimate plants, such as trees, much as how she can speak with animals. This ability also extends to fungus, such as mushrooms. Further, this ability extends to any creature of the Plant type, such as a treant or shambling mound. As objects, however, most plants have little to say.
Bonus Feat: At 8th and 16th levels, the druid gains a bonus feat. This may be any feat for which the druid otherwise meets the prerequisites.
Venom Immunity (Ex): At 8th level, a druid gains immunity to all poisons.
Speak with Stones (Ex): Beginning at 9th level, the druid may speak with rocks, stones, and the like, much as how she can speak with animals and plants. The stone may be natural or worked stone. Further, this ability allows her to communicate with any creature that possesses the (earth) subtype. Stones are, however, typically less talkative than even plants.
Natural Spell (Ex): Beginning at 10th level, the druid may cast druid spells when in a wild shape form, but not spells gained from some other source.
Note: There is no such feat as Natural Spell in Rebuild II; the only way to acquire it is by being a 10th level druid.
A Thousand Faces (Su): At 13th level, a druid gains the ability to change her appearance at will, as if using the spell alter self, but only while in her normal form.
Elemental Shape (Sp): At 13th level, a druid is able to transform into a Small, Medium, or Large elemental (air, earth, fire, or water). These elemental forms are distinct from her wild shape ability, but otherwise follow the same rules as the wild shape ability (including transformation time and speech limitations).
A druid may use her elemental shape ability a number of times per day equal to her Constitution modifier. At 20th level, a druid may use elemental shape ability to change into a Huge elemental.
Thanks to Shifter’s Speech and Natural Spell, a druid may speak and cast druid spells while in an elemental shape, just as she can while in wild shape.
Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 15th level, a druid no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place.
Bonuses still accrue, and the druid still dies of old age when her time is up.
Speak with the World (Su): Beginning at 18th level, the druid learns how to speak to the very soul of the world itself, which allows her to gain insight on all the creatures that stride upon it. A number of times week equal to her Wisdom modifier, the druid may cast greater scrying as though she were a Cleric of equal level. The druid must be able to gaze into a natural reflective surface to make use of this ability, however, such as a pool of water, a crystal growth, or the like.
Repel Nature's Lure (Ex): At 19th level, a druid gains spell resistance against the spell-like abilities of fey (such as dryads, pixies, and sprites) equal to her current druid level + 10. To affect the druid with a spell-like ability, a fey spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the druid's spell resistance.
Natural Majesty (Ex): At 20th level, the druid inspires awe in animals. Animals must succeed on a Will save with a DC of 10 + ½ the druid’s level + the druid’s Charisma modifier. If the creature fails, its action is wasted. This ability may also affect magical beasts with an Intelligence of 1 or 2, although they get a +4 bonus on their saving throw. Once a creature succeeds, it is immune to the effect of that druid for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting ability.
In addition, if the druid has the Animal Companion feat, she acquires a loyal following of animals. She acquires a second animal companion, plus a group of auxiliary companions. The group of auxiliary companions consists of 3 + her Charisma modifier animals as though she were a druid of one-quarter her level (5th at 20th level). Although vulnerable in combat against high level foes, such companions can perform a number of helpful functions, such as spying, providing transportation, carrying things, and so forth. If an animal companion dies or is dismissed, she can promote an existing companion to a higher level at the same time she replaces a missing companion. For instance, if her highest level companion dies, she can promote the second companion to a higher level, then promote one of her weaker companions to the second companion slot and acquire a new auxiliary companion.
Note: Yes, Animal Companion is now a feat. It has a Prerequisite of Ranger or Druid 5 and Handle Animal 8 ranks; remembering that we're using Pathfinder skills, that means you need to be at least level 8 to take an Animal Companion.
Ex-Druids
A druid who ceases to revere nature, changes to a prohibited alignment, or teaches the Druidic language to a nondruid loses all druid abilities (not including weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She cannot thereafter gain levels as a druid until she atones.